Hairdressing instrument

ABSTRACT

An instrument used to treat hair with vapour includes a body part in the form of a solid cylindrical metal block provided with a bore receiving a wick steeped in a liquid and channels receiving electrical heating resistors for heating the body part to vaporize the liquid held by the wick. The bore receiving the wick communicates with vapour-discharge holes formed in the body part, and a cover part adapted to the shape of the body part is articulated to the body part so as to be movable to cover and uncover the holes. A stand is provided for the instrument and presents an electrical supply socket into which a handle of the instrument is plugged. The socket is provided with switch means whereby the current supply circuit to the socket is only completed when the handle of the instrument has been plugged into the socket.

[ July 1, 1975 1 HAIRDRESSING INSTRUMENT Jean Francois Van Droogenbroek,88 Avenue Louise, Brussels, Belgium 22 Filed: June 11, 1973 21 Appl.No.: 368,786

[76] Inventor:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 12, 1972 Belgium 784729 [52]US. Cl 219/222; 132/7; 132/32 R;

[51] Int. Cl. H05b 1/02; A45d 1/04; A45d 2/36 [58] Field of Search219/222-226, 219/242, 518, 533,521; 132/32 R, 37 R, 31

R, 7, 9, 36 R, 33 R 3,610,259 10/1971 Brown .1 219/222 UX FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 550.696 9/1956 Belgium 132/36 R 1,298,007 5/1962France 132/31 R 652,732 10/1928 France 219/222 Primary ExaminerA. BartisAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Elliott l. Pollock {5 7] ABSTRACT An instrumentused to treat hair with vapour includes a body part in the form of asolid cylindrical metal block provided with a bore receiving a wicksteeped in a liquid and channels receiving electrical heating resis torsfor heating the body part to vaporize the liquid held by the wick. Thebore receiving the wick communicates with vapour-discharge holes formedin the body part, and a cover part adapted to the shape of the body partis articulated to the body part so as to be movable to cover and uncoverthe holes. A stand is provided for the instrument and presents anelectrical supply socket into which a handle of the instrument isplugged. The socket is provided with switch means whereby the currentsupply circuit to the socket is only completed when the handle of theinstrument has been plugged into the socket,

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures HAIRDRESSING INSTRUMENT This inventionrelates to an instrument for hairdressers of the kind used to treat hairwith vapour formed under the action of heat in a body part of theinstrument which is provided with holes through which the vapour isdischarged, such instrument including a cover part adapted to the shapeof the body part and articulated on the latter so as to be movable tocover or uncover the vapour-discharge holes.

An object of the invention is to render the manufacture of such aninstrument very simple and economical and to improve its performancefrom the point of view of fluid tightness and conservation of heat.

To this end, the instrument of the present invention is characterized inthat the body part is constituted by a solid cylindrical block ofasuitable metal, such block being provided with bores respectively toreceive heating means, such as electrical heating resistors, and adetachable wick or the like steeped in a liquid.

Another object of the invention is to make the instrument as safe aspossible in use, by means of an electrical connection arrangementbetween the instrument and a stand having means by which the currentsupply circuit can only be closed by the introduction of the end of ahandle of the instrument into an electrical socket provided on thestand.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, an embodimentthereof will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hairdressing instrument embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the body part of theinstrument of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a view of the removable wick of the instrument;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the body part of the instrument, in thedirection of arrow A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the handle of the instrument, partly insection;

PEG. 5 is a view showing a stand with the instrument mounted verticallythereon; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are detailed views of the electrical socket arrangement onthe stand.

As shown in the drawings, the hairdressing instrument embodying theinvention includes a sleevelike handle 1 connected to a solidcylindrical block 2 forming the body part of the instrument. The bodypart 2 is made ofa suitable metal and extends in axial alignment withthe handle 1. A cover part 4 is part-cylindrical in shape to conform tothe shape of the body part 2, and is mounted on a pivot 3 carried by thepart 2. The cover part 4 presents a foot 5 and a spring 6 is interposedbetween the foot 5 and the handle I so that, by pressing on the foot 5,the cover part 4 can be brought into the position shown in FIG. 1.

Holes 7 are formed along the length of the block 2, for example in twolines, and communicate with a longitudinal bore 8 formed in the block.The bore 8 is open towards the exterior at the free end of the block 2and receives a removable element or wick 1] (FIG. 2A), impregnated witha liquid and provided with a head 12 having a threaded portion 13 bywhich the wick is fixed in the bore 8.

Parallel to and lower than the bore 8 there are formed in the block 2further bores or channels 9 and I0 in which are provided heatingresistors (not shown) connected to current supply conductors.

Under the effect of the heat produced by the resistors disposed in thepassages 9 and 10, vapour is produced from the liquid held by the wickII and is discharged to the exterior through the holes 7.

As will be readily apparent, by virtue of the arrangement of parallelbores 8, 9 and 10 formed in a metal block, the heating elements and thevapour-forming element are well separated from each other and oneobtains excellent fluid tightness and a good conservation of the heat,thereby permitting an economical construction which is based on a simpledrilling operation in a cylindrical block.

FIG. 4 shows the handle I provided at one end with a coupling 14 whichengages in a recess 15 of the cylindrical block 2 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

A particular feature of the apparatus resides in an electricalconnection arrangement between the instru ment and a stand 21 (FIG. 5)containing the power supply network.

As shown in FIG. 4, a wire 16 supplying the heating resistors isconnected to a cylindrical contact 17 housed in the handle 1.

Another supply wire 18 is connected to a central male connector in theform of a pin 19 carried by an insulating washer 20 pressed into thecontact 17.

The stand 21 (FIG. 5) has a recess 22 accessible through an upstandingtubular projection 23 (FIG. 6). In the recess 22 there is provided acylindrical electrical contact 24 and a coaxial female connector 25separated from the contact 24 by an insulating ring 26. To the contact24 and the female connector 25 there are fixed respective wires 27 and28. Wire 28 is connected to a power supply and wire 27 is connected to aswitch having a pushbutton 29 disposed perpendicular to the axis of thecontact 24 and biased by a spring 30 arranged to maintain a contact 31carried by the wire 27 disconnected from the wire 28.

When the end of the handle 1 (FIG. 7) is introduced into the recess 22,electrical contact is established between the contacts 17 and 24 andbetween the pin 19 and the female connector 25. At the same time, thepushbutton 29 is depressed by the handle 1 so as to bring the contact 31into the closed position (see FIG. 7) thereby to complete the electricalsupply circuit.

It is important to add that, as the contact 3] is only brought into theclosed position when the end of the handle 1 is introduced into thestand, complete safety is provided for the user.

Tell-tale lamps are provided at 32 on the stand and are lit as soon asthe electrical contact is established at 3].

The stand may include a plurality of projections 23 for receivinginstruments of different size and may carry other objects such asaerosol bottles 33.

I claim:

I. An instrument for hairdressers for use in treating hair with vaporformed under the action of heat, said instrument comprising an elongatedsolid cylindrical block formed with a plurality of internal longitudinalbores, one of said bores opening into the exterior of said block at oneend of the block, a liquid supplying element removably inserted intosaid one of said bores from the open end of said bore, an electricalheating element located within another one of said bores for supplyingheat to said block to vaporize liquid supplied by said liquid supplyingelement, each of said bores being isolated from one another, a pluralityof vapor discharge hoies formed along the length of said block andcommunicating with the said one of said bores which contains theremovable liquid supplying element, a handle extending from the end ofsaid solid block opposite to said one end, said handle being rigidlyconnected to said solid block, an elongated cover part having a partialcylindrical contour which matches the contour of said body part, saidcover part extending longitudinally along said block in coveringrelation to said vapor discharge holes and being pivotally mounted onsaid cylindrical block, said cover part including an offset foot portionadjacent said handle and a spring interposed between said foot portionand said handle for biasing said cover part into a position coveringsaid vapor-discharge holes, the end of said handle remote from saidblock including interior electrical contact means for detachablyconnecting said heating element to an external electrical currentsupply, a stand for said instrument, an electrical current supplycircuit for said instrument located within said stand, said standincluding an electric socket connected to said supply and adapted tocooperate with said interior electrical contact means at the remote endof said handle for supplying current to said heating element when thehandle of said instrument is plugged into said socket, switch meanslocated within said socket and positioned for selective actuation to aclosed condition by the plugging of said handle into said socket, saidswitch means being connected in said current supply circuit in suchmanner as to ensure that the circuit of said current supply to saidsocket is closed and operative to supply current only when said remoteend ofthe handle is plugged into said electric socket on said stand,said handle including first and second conductors for supplying saidheating element with electrical current, said interior electricalcontact means comprising a first cylindrical electrical contact providedinternally at said remote end of said handle and connected to one ofsaid conductors, said electrical contact means further comprising acentral connector pin in said handle coaxial with said first cylindricalcontact and connected to the other of said conductors, a tubularprojection on said stand for receiving said handle and giving access toa recess in said stand. said electrical socket comprising a secondcylindrical contact provided in said recess for cooperating with saidfirst cylindrical contact on insertion of said handle into the recess, afemale connector in the recess disposed coaxially relative to saidsecond cylindricai contact for cooperating with said connector pin ofsaid handle, and an insulating body in said recess separating saidfemale connector and said second cylindrical contact.

2. The instrument of claim 1 including first and second wires in saidcurrent supply circuit connected re spectively to said secondcylindrical contact and to said female connector, said switch meansbeing operative to connect one of said first and second wires to saidcircuit to complete said current supply circuit when said switch meansis in a closed condition, said switch means having a pushbuttonpositioned within said recess for operation by said handle to close saidswitch means on insertion of said handle into the recess of the stand,and a spring normally biasing said pushbutton into a position in whichthe switch means is open, insertion of said handle into said recess ofsaid stand being operative to depress said pushbutton to complete saidcurrent supply circuit to energize the instrument.

1. An instrument for hairdressers for use in treating hair with vaporformed under the action of heat, said instrument comprising an elongatedsolid cylindrical block formed with a plurality of internal longitudinalbores, one of said bores opening into the exterior of said blocK at oneend of the block, a liquid supplying element removably inserted intosaid one of said bores from the open end of said bore, an electricalheating element located within another one of said bores for supplyingheat to said block to vaporize liquid supplied by said liquid supplyingelement, each of said bores being isolated from one another, a pluralityof vapor discharge holes formed along the length of said block andcommunicating with the said one of said bores which contains theremovable liquid supplying element, a handle extending from the end ofsaid solid block opposite to said one end, said handle being rigidlyconnected to said solid block, an elongated cover part having a partialcylindrical contour which matches the contour of said body part, saidcover part extending longitudinally along said block in coveringrelation to said vapor discharge holes and being pivotally mounted onsaid cylindrical block, said cover part including an offset foot portionadjacent said handle and a spring interposed between said foot portionand said handle for biasing said cover part into a position coveringsaid vapor-discharge holes, the end of said handle remote from saidblock including interior electrical contact means for detachablyconnecting said heating element to an external electrical currentsupply, a stand for said instrument, an electrical current supplycircuit for said instrument located within said stand, said standincluding an electric socket connected to said supply and adapted tocooperate with said interior electrical contact means at the remote endof said handle for supplying current to said heating element when thehandle of said instrument is plugged into said socket, switch meanslocated within said socket and positioned for selective actuation to aclosed condition by the plugging of said handle into said socket, saidswitch means being connected in said current supply circuit in suchmanner as to ensure that the circuit of said current supply to saidsocket is closed and operative to supply current only when said remoteend of the handle is plugged into said electric socket on said stand,said handle including first and second conductors for supplying saidheating element with electrical current, said interior electricalcontact means comprising a first cylindrical electrical contact providedinternally at said remote end of said handle and connected to one ofsaid conductors, said electrical contact means further comprising acentral connector pin in said handle coaxial with said first cylindricalcontact and connected to the other of said conductors, a tubularprojection on said stand for receiving said handle and giving access toa recess in said stand, said electrical socket comprising a secondcylindrical contact provided in said recess for cooperating with saidfirst cylindrical contact on insertion of said handle into the recess, afemale connector in the recess disposed coaxially relative to saidsecond cylindrical contact for cooperating with said connector pin ofsaid handle, and an insulating body in said recess separating saidfemale connector and said second cylindrical contact.
 2. The instrumentof claim 1 including first and second wires in said current supplycircuit connected respectively to said second cylindrical contact and tosaid female connector, said switch means being operative to connect oneof said first and second wires to said circuit to complete said currentsupply circuit when said switch means is in a closed condition, saidswitch means having a pushbutton positioned within said recess foroperation by said handle to close said switch means on insertion of saidhandle into the recess of the stand, and a spring normally biasing saidpushbutton into a position in which the switch means is open, insertionof said handle into said recess of said stand being operative to depresssaid pushbutton to complete said current supply circuit to energize theinstrument.